ME2Revelations of Genisis
by Curse Pen
Summary: A novelization of ME2. Includes spoilers.He will protect them, no matter the cost. He had failed her. He sought forgiveness. But could he find it before he was forced to leave another behind? T for language, violence, graphic imagery, suggestive themes.
1. Resurrection

_**NOTES FROM THE ARCHIVE: I do not own Mass Effect 2, nor any character or story therein. I do own my personal touches to the game as they are orignial but by no means do I claim Bioware's work for my own. Thank you.**_

_**I do apologize to anyone who has read other pieces from me, as they will be unlikely to update in the near future. College is a lot of work. What a surprise. Anyway, this is my attempt at a ME2 story. Its started out as a one shot but escalated rather quickly into a novelization. I plan on getting my own touches in here eventually, but I will be covering each plot world and Character so there will be spoilers. And if you are worried about that, then why are you reading this instead of playing the awesome that is Mass Effect 2.**_

_**This story is rated T for Teen for coarse language, graphic imagery and suggestive themes.  
**_

_**Thank you for your time. Enjoy the story.**_

_**The Curse Pen.**_

_**PS: I live on reviews. Seriously. Writers have black holes for egos. they need feeding.**_

**Resurrection**

"Well Miranda? How is our little investment?"

Miranda Lawson snorted lightly at the comment. Yes, a little investment of 4 billion credits. She looked out over the rough rocks and icy expanse. Her sealed suit kept most of the cold out, but just the look of the place gave her chills up her spine and over her skin.

"Miranda? Are you there?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then what is his status?"

The voice was low and old, with deep crags in it. It was the voice of the Illusive Man

"We are still trying to find him."

"Really?"

"Sir, the mere fact that there is anything to recover is astounding in itself. His ship exploded and he passed through atmosphere. If we find more than a few pieces of his hard suit I will consider this operation successful."

"It is not successful unless he is brought back, Miranda," The comm. said in her ear. "Remember that."

There was a short click and Miranda was alone in her helmet again.

There was a tap on her shoulder and Miranda turned, hand instinctively going for her pistol. She stopped when she realized it was only the Asari.

"Nothing yet?" Liara T'Soni asked, her voice apprehensive over the close comm. unit, her blue skin dulled inside the sealed helmet.

"No." Miranda turned back, looking over the wastes.

Liara fell silent. Miranda felt a strange urge to ask the Asari her opinion on the crash site. The famed _Normandy_ had been the alien's home for a long time after all.

Liara unnerved Miranda by seemingly reading her mind.

"It's so… sad."

"What?" Miranda asked, not looking at her.

"She's… broken… dead."

"Who?" Miranda asked, not really interested.

"The _Normandy_. Her crew. Shep––" her voice broke, but Liara pushed on. "Shepard."

The two women looked out over the ship's graveyard. Chunks and spires of metal stuck into the air, large plates spearing the snow. Little spirals of snow shifted over the ground, spilling around the remnants of the SSV _Normandy_.

"It is such a cold grave for such a great… ship."

Miranda was about to comment on how pathetic Liara was when her comm. beeped and a man's voice came through. "Miss Lawson?"

"What is it?" Miranda snapped. This was taking too long.

"We found him. I think."

"Well did you or didn't you?"

There was silence and then, "Miss Lawson… we cannot tell whether he's a Salarian, Krogan or even male. You need to see him."

"Then why even call me. Until you have a match––"

"Miss Lawson, he's wearing Alliance armor with N7 markings. It has to be him."

Miranda blinked a few times. They found him.

"Where is he?" Miranda asked, striding down the small ice path, deeper into the _Normandy_ wreckage.

"Near the CIC wreckage, at the end of the site, Miss Lawson."

"On my way."

The two women ran over the slick ice, excitement and terror overlapping.

Miranda vaulted up and over the small ice ridge, the broken and charred side of the _Normandy_ overshadowing them, to stand with her recovery crew.

She grimaced at the sight, but Liara let out an audible sob.

"Oh, Goddess…"

Miranda silently agreed.

The form before them was definitely Human, but only because of the armor. The body had fallen awkwardly, its spine snapped and a strange jut in the chest signaled broken ribs spearing the chest. The hands were splayed to the sides in a macabre crucifix, charred and rigid in gruesome claws; the left leg buckled and shredded under the right, which seemed to have seven joints. The right side of the chest piece had been broken off and lay a few meters away, along with other bits of the armor.

But thing that made Liara gasp and fall to her knees was the face.

It was a burned and staring visage, the eyes nothing but blackened sockets, the mouth a skeleton's maw.

Miranda had seen pictures of Lieutenant Commander Mikhail Shepard. He was… well, had been, handsome. In a rugged, scarred why. He'd had a signature rivulet of a scar that ran from the corner of his mouth up to his ear, dividing at mid cheek and extending a little down toward his jaw.

The snow sifted around the bony fingers, through the open and silent mouth, gathering in the eye sockets.

He looked so cold.

So lost.

So… alone.

He… wasn't Human anymore.

"Well," Miranda ordered in clipped tones. "Why are you standing around? Get him into a stasis pod and get him to the ship. I do not want him decaying anymore than he has too."

The crew moved, silent now. One of the biotics placed a stasis field around Commander Shepard's corpse, and the group carefully moved him to the pod.

Miranda turned to Liara, who was still sitting in the snow staring at the spot where Shepard had been.

"Thank you Liara for your help. I have uploaded the information you requested to your ship's VI. Our transaction has been concluded. Good day."

And with that, Miranda stalked off, into the snow, following her crew and the stasis pod.

Liara blinked back her tears, steeling her soul and mind. She couldn't do this. She needed to be hard, steadfast.

Like Shepard. Her Shepard.

She rose, squared her shoulders, murmuring one last prayer to her Goddess. The last prayer she would ask of her Goddess, before fading into the shadows.

Liara T'Soni turned from the icy graveyard and walked back to her ship.

Behind her, the snow started to come down more heavily, covering the _Normandy_ in its death shroud, blanketing the crushed ship in a peaceful cloud.

Shepard's helmet sat in the snow, slowly disappearing under the white, watching over the ship as the sky darkened into night.


	2. Lazarus

Lazarus

"_It's already here. There are Geth pouring out all over the bomb site." Kaidan. Cool and calm. Not this time. Panic is barely restrained, his voice is decided._

_He knows what will happen._

"_Can you hold them off?" I am clam. I know the answer. He is a good soldier._

"_There's too many. I don't think we can survive until you get here." That is not what I expect. I start to worry._

_No. I cannot. Remain focused._

"_I'm activating the bomb." Kaidan. Decisive. _

"_Alenko, what are you doing!" This is not the plan. This is not right._

"_I'm just making sure this bomb goes off. No matter what." Kaidan. He will not be swayed. "It's done, Commander. Go get Williams and get the hell out of here."_

"_Screw that! We can handle ourselves. Go back and get Alenko." Ashley. Confident. Sure._

"_Alenko…" I hesitate. I _do not_ hesitate. Hesitation leads to death. Death of me. Death of my crew. I must do what is right. I must… I must complete the mission. "Alenko, radio Joker and tell him to meet us at the bombsite."_

"_Yes, Commander… I…" Kaidan. Sad. Understanding?_

"_You know it's the right choice, LT." Ashley. Tough, strong, brave._

"_I'm sorry Ash…" I choke on my words. Why can I not say this? The mission comes first. It must always come first. There is not second option. "I had to make a choice."_

"_I understand Commander. I don't regret a thing." She is smiling. I can tell. Ash…_

_We are fighting… Saren… the bomb… Kaidan is injured. I tackle Saren, and we struggle… I almost fall… I almost fail… but he is distracted, I hit him… he flees… the bomb… we escape… I see… the bomb… nuclear fire… a light…_

_Ash…_

There is a light. A room. Fuzzy. Indistinct. I cannot feel my body. There is muffled sound.

"He's gaining awareness of his surroundings." A man's voice, harsh, clinical. "My God, Miranda. I think he's waking up."

A woman. Black hair, angelic face, perfectly beautiful. But her eyes… so cold.

A man, bald, stubble on his chin. Uncertain, angry.

"Damn it Wilson. He's not ready yet. Give him the sedative." The woman. Angry. Worried? She looks at me. "Shepard. Don't try to move."

My arm… I move it… she pushes it back down… why can I not feel it?

"Just lie still," the angel says. "Try to stay calm."

"Heart rate is still climbing. Brain activity is off the charts." Wilson. "Stats are pushing into the red zone." Panic.

Miranda. "Another dose. Now." She moves away. I don't want her too.

I am scared.

A hiss.

"Heart rate dropping." Wilson. Controlled. "Stats falling back into normal range."

Miranda… she leans over. "I told you it was too early…"

Muffled.

Noise fades away.

Darkness.

Miranda looks over Shepard's body, assessing the situation.

His sudden spike in brain activity signaled REM sleep. They were making progress. His nervous system was starting to repair itself as well, and he made a conscious effort: raising his arm.

But his body barely had skin on it, and the muscles were still scarred. They would have to keep a better eye on his vitals now.

She glared at Wilson.

"Why the hell didn't it work?"

"What?" Wilson retorted, anger quickly brewing. "I didn't do anything."

"Precisely." Miranda gestured at Shepard. "A year and two months of work almost lost because you 'didn't do anything.'"

Wilson sneered. "My shift is over anyway. I'll leave you and your pet alone shall I?"

Miranda shoved passed him and busied herself with a life monitor.

Wilson stalked out of the med bay and back to his office.

_To sulk,_ Miranda thought smugly to herself. She turned to look at Shepard.

He lay there, little more than bandages covering him. He had been moved down to the table from the mass effect field now that most of the skin on his back had patched over the muscles. But the front still needed a lot of work.

She wondered idly what he would do if he saw his face. Or lack there of. It was a horrific image –– Jacob had commented it put every horror vid he had seen to shame. All the muscle was there, but no skin. Small metal clips held parts of the jaw together, as well as parts of the skull. The eyes were formed and the eyelids, as well as parts of nose, covered the upper portion of the face. But the jaw and mouth were a hideous grin.

It would be another three months until his skin fully reformed, and then they would finish the nervous system.

"Miranda."

Miranda covered her start by turning to Jacob, who had just walked in. "What?"

"No need to bite my head off, Miranda," Jacob said, holding his hands up in defense. "Just saw Wilson skulking in his office and figured you must be here. You two have another quarrel?"

"Be quiet, Taylor."

Miranda eyed the dark skinned man as he approached the med table. "Wow… still creeps me out just looking at him," Jacob said, careful not to get too close. Miranda could get very defensive of her projects.

"Better than the first time?"

"Oh yeah. Now he looks like a Husk instead of sack of meat."

"I suppose that's the best you can think of?"

"I'm not the med tech, Miranda."

Jacob, keeping his eyes on the unconscious Shepard, walked over to Miranda and leaned against the wall, his brown eyes flicking between the two.

"Is there a reason for you to be hanging around here, Mr. Taylor?"

He was silent for a time. "What is your problem Miranda?"

"Wilson almost tossed our work out the airlock."

"What?"

"If you think that is creepy, try seeing it move."

"He woke up?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"A few minutes ago."

Jacob walked back over to Shepard. "Wow. The Commander is one tough SOB, isn't he?"

"He's an orphan, Mr. Taylor."

"I know, _Miss Lawson_. I read the dossier. Earth-born, abandoned by his parents, part of the Tenth Street Reds. Lost three-fourths of his unit on Torfan and left no one alive. Killed Specter Saren Arterius during the Battle of the Citadel. Called for an all-Human council after the Citadel Council died on the _Destiny Ascension._ Gave some political clout to Captain Anderson, but then he was sent into the Traverse to hunt down Geth. The Collectors gunned down the_ Normandy_ and we recovered Shepard. Fairly simple if you ask me."

"Yes. Simple."

Jacob huffed and headed for the door. "I'm grabbing something to eat. I can take over for you if you want to get something."

Miranda ignored him and was rewarded with a cold silence and the doors hissing closed.

Finally. Alone with her project. Now, if only the Illusive Man would let her put that control chip in Shepard's brain.


	3. First Contact

First Contact

Miranda yawned and closed down the computer. She was done for the day. Shepard's vitals were well above stable. Only a few cosmetic scars and a week or two of adjusting his body to the nodes and Mikhail Shepard would be back on his feet in no time.

Miranda walked out of her office and started toward her quarters. The clanking of light metal feet alerted her to a security robot patrol around the corner. She disliked having to use synthetics to bolster her project's security. They were not smart enough, easy to kill, and –– if it were not for the central controls coded processors –– easy to hack.

Miranda quickened her pace, intending to pass the robots as quickly as possible.

The LOKI mechanized units –– their bone white, skeletal plating gleaming in the stations light panels –– turned the corner ahead of her, pistols raised.

"Please remain motionless for immediate termination," the leader said, aiming for Miranda, its female voice calm and direct.

Miranda dropped the data pads she was carrying and launched herself to the side. The mass accelerator rounds pounded into the wall in front of her and Miranda swore.

Priorities. She needed to alert Jacob and evacuate the station. She needed to get Shepard out as well. He was top priority.

"Jacob," Miranda said into her comm. unit as she commanded her omni-tool VI to find the LOKI mech signatures from behind her cover. "We have a problem."

"Already heading for the alarms." Jacob's voice was heated, a sign of combat and exertion. "What set them off?"

"No idea. Set the alarms and get to Shepard. I need him out of here. He is top priority. Even above me."

"Miranda…"

"That is an order. I will meet you at the shuttle."

Miranda cut the comm. and found the LOKIs on her scanner. She grinned, unleashed the overload command and turned around the corner, aiming for her targets.

Jacob smashed the LOKI into the wall and pounded the door control, turning to blast another one down as he backed into the room.

He turned to cross the bridge, but a bullet crashed into his kinetic barriers and Jacob dove into cover behind a clear partition. He glanced over to find seven or more LOKI mechs pouring fire indiscriminately at him.

"Miranda?" Jacob said into his comm. "Miranda? Come on… pick up Miranda…"

"Jacob? Do you have Shepard?" Miranda peaked around a corner and ducked back in as a small and skeletal LOKI mech marched through the T-section, accompanied by a bulky YMIR, whose stomps she could feel even at fifty meters.

"Not yet. I'm pinned down."

_Damn_. "Jacob, I need Shepard right now. I'll try and work my way back to you. Stay put."

She cut the comm. and ordered her Virtual Intelligence to find the comm. board for the med bay operation room.

"Wake up, Commander."

Shepard twitched a little at the sound of his designation. That voice was familiar.

A blast shuddered through the room and shock Shepard out of his sleep. He scrunched his eyes, feeling something horribly wrong in his gut.

"Shepard, do you hear me? Get out of that bed now. This facility is under attack."

Another blast, this one nearly shaking Shepard off the table.

He sat up, and pain lanced through his stomach, his shoulders and his face, all along his jaw.

"Shepard, your scars aren't healed, but I need you to get moving. This facility is under attack."

"I noticed," Shepard grunted, rolling off the table as an explosion shook the room, fire engulfing the observation room above. Then gun fire. "Crap. Never an easy morning."

"You need to get out of there. Be careful though. There are a lot of things out here trying to kill us. There should be a comm. unit and omni tool in the locker. Hurry, we don't have much time."

Shepard looked down at the few bandages covering his body and his bare feet. This was not going to be fun. "There isn't any armor in here? Or a weapon?" he asked the comm., sliding it into his ear and strapping the omni-tool to his wrist.

"Shepard it's a medical bay. Why would we have weapons and armor there?"

"Right… how silly of me." Shepard grimaced. "Who are you?"

"Miranda Lawson. I can explain later, but now you need to get out of there."

"Right." Shepard started for the door.

"Careful! I'm getting unstable readings from some canisters by the door. Get down!"

Shepard cricked his neck and grinned. It was coming back. The feeling in his muscles, the pain, reminded him he was more than flesh and bone.

Why did he worry about armor, or a weapon? His whole body was a weapon, his nerves his armor.

With practiced precision, Shepard jerked his body, firing the nerves up his chest from his navel and through his arm, swinging it from his chest outward and activating his biotics.

A brilliant blue mist ebbed from his body, and he could feel the mirco-gravidic repulse cover him from head to toe.

The explosion washed over him, staggering him a little, but Shepard pressed through, his steps gaining strength every second.

"Someone's hacking security; trying to kill you. The next room looks clear. Just be careful."

"Yes, Mum."

"What?"

Shepard ignored her and strode through the doors.

He advanced into the room, halting as he found a table across the entranceway.

"Looks like they tried setting up a barricade to hold the mechs off," Miranda said in his ear.

"_Looks_ like it didn't do them much good," Shepard said, kneeling by the body of a dead man and turning him over. He was young, tanned, and strong. At least, had been. Now there were several bullets in his chest.

Shepard picked up the man's M-3 Predator heavy pistol and grabbed the spare thermal clip from under the corpse. He checked the Predator's ammo count.

_7,_ he thought. That meant that five rounds were expended and the man still died.

There was an enemy nearby.

Shepard activated his omni-tool and checked the radar. A small red blip flashed toward his right, several meters away. He grinned and readied the pistol.

Shepard backed up and charged the barricade. He crashed his back into the sturdy metal, vaulting over it, using his gun arm from leverage. He turned, finding his enemy and triggering a biotic pulse down his arm.

The LOKI aimed for Shepard as the warp field hit it.

Shepard aimed calmly for its head as the sporadic gravity shifted, tearing the LOKI apart, sparks flying.

"Bang."

The LOKI exploded and Shepard ran up the stairs it had been guarding.

"Keep moving," Miranda said in his ear. "We need to get you to the shuttles."

_So I'm on a station with a bunch of LOKI mechs wondering around looking for my head,_ Shepard thought, opening the door. _This just keeps getting better._

"Shepard, security mechs are closing in on your position. Take cover. Don't take any chances."

"Would you shut up and let me kill stuff?"

Five LOKIs marched through the door, only to be blown away by a massive biotically-induce kinetic blast. A few more wandered in from the left door.

Three shots and the LOKIs fell to the ground, their heads steaming lumps of metal on the ground.

"Nice work, Shepard," Miranda said, her voice strangely subdued. Curious.

Shepard vaulted up the steps of the room and through the door, the stiffness leaving his muscles as he easily loped down the corridor, noting the YMIR heavy mech on the other side of the glass partition, fires burning in the back, as it gunned down two technicians. He didn't let this slow him, however, and continued down the corridor, stepping quickly over the bodies and pools of blood that littered the hall.

As he ran, Shepard analyzed the last couple of rooms.

The first had been a med bay. What had happened to him to require a med bay?

And where was he? The Normandy… destroyed. How had he survived? He remembered… a blue, icy planet… fire… cold… a pressing, heavy feeling in his chest, a burning in his lungs.

What had happened?

The next room had looked out into empty space. Whoever had saved him had the money to sustain a deep space station.

The room he'd just gone through had been nondescript. Canisters, storage room, dead mechs, observation windows and status boards.

Shepard put these thoughts aside and opened the door.

"More reinforcements are heading your way," Miranda said. "Take cover."

Shepard slid into cover easily, squatting behind a glass partition. He noted a dead guard and a grenade launcher next to the corpse.

"You won't be needing this." Shepard hefted the weapon and turned to look down the room.

It was big, fuel canisters lining the walls. An elevator was to his right, but inactive. There was a walkway below him and a doorway.

As he took all this in, the doors opened and seven LOKIs strode in.

"Boom," Shepard said, grinning.

The grenade sailed through the air, the LOKIs looking up just in time to get of a shot each –– into the glass, or missing him completely –– and promptly exploded.

Unfortunately a tank ruptured with the explosion and a flame jet spurted onto the walkway.

"Crap."

"Take the elevator down one floor."

"And do what? Burn myself? I think I did that once already and I'm not in a hurry to do it again."

"Shepard, quite arguing and get on with it. We don't have the time."

Shepard growled and shouldered the grenade launcher, heading to the elevator. He pressed the descend pad and activated his barrier again. It wouldn't do anything against the heat of the fire, but gravidic-field would be enough to keep it at bay… as long as he didn't stand in it.

"Shepard, storm through the flames and get out of there."

"Thank you, Miss Obvious."

Miranda ignored him. "You're doing… Shepard…" her voice was suddenly drowned by static. "Head to … room… meet there… Damn it… ing with the… oms… closing… position."

Shepard scowled. The comm. fizzed with gunfire and an explosion then cut off.

He headed for the only door in the short hall and hit the tab. The next hallway lead off to the right, but there was an office across from him.

"Time for some answers," Shepard muttered.

He opened the door and dispatched the two LOKIs on the ground, crawling away from him.

The room was neat and orderly, with two workstations and a wall safe in the middle of the room. He approached the desk nearest him, and activated the most recent log.

"_Progress has been slow,"_ a holographic Miranda said, popping up on the screen. Her voice was more distinct now, and obviously well bred, British, and official. Her black hair fell down the back of her head, framing flawless skin and a thin neck. Her face was… well, perfect was the only word that came to mind.

It unnerved him.

The holo continued. "_Subject shows signs of recovery. Major organs are again functional and there are signs of rudimentary neurological activity. In an effort to accelerate the process, we have moved from simple organic reconstruction of the subject to bio/synthetic fusion. Initial results show promise."_

"Subject?" Shepard turned away from the station. Was he the subject? Bio-synthetic fusion? What the hell were these people playing at and who the hell did they think they were?

Shepard activated the next terminal he found, one resting on top of a bookshelf.

"_Log update. The cost of this project is astronomical… over four billion credits so far. But no one seems to care that we have gone over budget. I don't know where the boss gets all this money… maybe its best not to know… I just wish he'd kick a little more in my direction once in a while."_

The log had been a man's voice, strangely familiar. Shepard wanted to say it matched a Wilson… but how he knew that he had no idea. He didn't know a Wilson.

Shepard glanced around the office, noting several holos of a skeleton with various notes on them. He activated one, and it mapped out the nervous system, with several highlighted and conspicuous nodes. Was this _his_ nervous system? It belonged to a powerful biotic, that was for sure.

Shepard decided that it was time to leave. He would get his answers, but he needed to get out of here first. And the grenade launcher was getting heavy.

He ran down the hallway and rounded the corner to head up some stairs, only to find and YMIR mech on the other side of a glass window. A technician turned around, screaming as he was gunned down. The YMIR stared at Shepard for a moment and then turned, stomping away.

Shepard shock off the shock. He'd never seen an YMIR in action before.

He liked the way it worked. Quick and efficient.

Shepard headed for the door, deciding that he didn't want to meet the YMIR until he had more than a barrier to keep it at bay.

As Shepard entered the next room, a bullet whizzed passed his head. He ducked, noting a line of ten or more LOKIs on the other side of a large chasm. A guard leaned against the partition, obviously pinned down.

The man was dark skinned, obviously a soldier and professional. He held his M-23 Katana shotgun close to his chest, ready to fire.

Shepard waited for the LOKIs to reload –– a flaw in synthetics as basic as they were to fire in sequence –– and then ran for cover next to the guard.

"Shepard," the man said, clearly surprised. "What the hell…?"

Shepard, fired off a warp field, and downed a another LOKI before ducking down next to the soldier.

"What are you doing here?" the soldier asked. "I thought you were still a work in progress."

"I want answers," Shepard barked over the sounds of gunfire zipping overhead. "I've been shot at, blown up and ordered about. I'm through with the target practice."

"Sorry, Commander. That's a lot to explain, and I don't know if I'm the right person to tell you."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Jacob Taylor. I've been stationed here for ––" Jacob peaked over the top of their cover and a LOKI got a very close shot. "Damn it!" Jacob ducked down, a small cut on his forehead. "Things must be worse than I thought if she's got you running around. I'll fill you in. But we got to get you to the shuttle first."

Jacob aimed over their cover and shot the head of the LOKI that had almost hit him.

"I know this isn't the best time," Shepard said, his voice low and dangerous. "But I am sick and tired of this game of 'shoot the Shepard.' Answers. Now."

"Fair enough," Jacob said. "I'll give you the quick version. You and your ship were attacked and destroyed. You were killed. Dead as dead can be when they brought you here. Our scientists spent the last two years putting you back together. You've been comatose –– or worse –– that whole time. Welcome back to your life."

A bullet glanced off the cover.

"Just how I left it," Shepard muttered. "This doesn't look like an Alliance facility. Where am I?"

"It isn't. I can't say much more than that for now," Jacob said. "Sorry, but I don't ––"

"Have the clearance, I'm sure," Shepard said. "For non-Alliance, it sure as hell runs like one."

"The Alliance officially declared you killed in action. The whole galaxy thinks you're dead. And if we don't get to those shuttles, they'll be right."

"Were there any other survivors from the _Normandy_?"

Jacob cocked an eyebrow. He could understand a captain of a ship wanting to know the status of his crew, but Shepard's question –– demand –– had not been in keeping with the cold hearted, logical renegade soldier that he was known for. The man was worried, a real heartfelt concern.

Another bullet pinged off the cover.

"Tell you what," Jacob said. "You help me finish off these mechs, and I'll play Twenty Questions with you all day."

"Then let's play."

Jacob was about to pull commander back down –– he had nothing on except a few bandages in thankfully appropriate spots –– but then the biotic powers flared.

The LOKIs were reduced to scrap in under a minute, with nary a shot fired.

Jacob looked at the destruction and the mangled door on the other side of the chasm. "That was… impressive, Commander. Gravity is one mean mother, huh?"

Shepard just nodded grimly and Jacob noticed the sweat beading on his brow. The commander didn't have the strength to keep using his biotics. Not without something to keep his nutrient levels up.

"Okay," Jacob said. "I promised I'd answer your questions. What do you want to know?"

"You said they spent two years rebuilding me? How bad were my injuries?" Shepard asked, accepting the flask of energy drink from Jacob.

"I'm no doctor, but it was bad," Jacob said, his mind flashing back to the moment he first saw the great Commander Mikhail Shepard. "When I first saw you, you were nothing but meat and tubes. Anywhere else, they would have put you in a coffin. But project Lazarus was different. Cutting edge technology."

"What do you mean?" Shepard asked, a touch of suspicion in his voice. "Cloning? Cybernetics?"

"I don't know the details. You'd have to ask the scientists. But I'm pretty sure you're not a clone. They wanted to bring you back exactly as you were. You're still you. You just might have a few extra bits and pieces."

"Were there others?"

"The whole point of Project Lazarus was to bring you back. Just you."

"My crew. I remember…" Shepard scowled. "The _Normady_ blew up. Joker… Kaidan?"

"Just about everyone survived. A few servicemen from the lower decks didn't make it out. Navigator Presley was killed by an explosion. Everyone else made it out –– the asari and the quarian… all the non-Alliance crew in fact."

"Where are they?"

"I don't know Commander. It's been two years. They've moved on. Could be anywhere by now."

"Why is everything shooting at us?"

"Damned if I know. I was getting ready for some shuteye –– then bam! Tons of explosions. Then every damn mech in the place starts shooting. At us. I'm guessing an inside job. You'd need top security access to hack all the mechs."

"Someone named Miranda Lawson contacted me, but I lost her just before running into you," Shepard said. "She anyone you know?"

"Miranda Lawson is the project lead. It was her job to bring you back to life. She's not about to give up on you now. You said you lost her?"

"Lost contact. Comm. went funny and there were a few explosions. Gun shots."

"She knows how to take care of herself. But I hope she's okay."

Shepard raised an eyebrow at him. "That's an interesting way of putting it." Jacob was about to reply but Shepard cut him off. "What's the quickest way to those shuttles?"

"Depends on where the mechs are thickest. Probably best if we––"

A voice came in over the comm., quick, panicy. "Check. Check. Anyone on this frequency? Anybody still alive out there? Hello?"

Jacob tapped the comm. in his ear. "Wilson? This is Jacob. I'm with Commadner Shepard. We just took out a mech squad over in D Wing."

"Shepard's alive? How the hell…? Never mind. You need to get him out of there. Get into the service tunnels and head for the server control room."

"Rodger that, Wilson. Stay on this frequency," Jacob said, turning back to the commander.

"Who's Wilson?" Shepard asked, hefting the grenade launcher up and tossing it to Jacob.

"He's the chief medical tech. Answers directly to Miranda. Come on. Service tunnels are this way."

Jacob holstered the grenade launcher onto his back and turned back the way he had originally come in. Retrieving Commander Shepard had been easier than he thought it would be.


	4. Into Hell

Into Hell

Shepard had a bad feeling about Wilson. The feeling was relieved and justified when Miranda shot Wilson in the neck.

"What the hell are you doing?" Jacob asked, running up.

Shepard noticed that he had automatically raised his Predator at the sound of a gunshot. He decided to keep it raised.

He was dealing with Cerberus after all.

"My job," Miranda stated, coldly. "Wilson betrayed us all."

"Even if you're sure," Shepard said. "Did he deserve that welcome?"

It must have been obvious that he was fishing for her reaction. You could tell a lot about a person from the way they answered a simple question.

But Miranda seemed too tired to care or notice. "He sabotaged the security systems. Killed my staff. And he would have killed us."

"You sure about that Miranda?" Jacob asked. "We've known Wilson for years. What is you're wrong?"

"I'm never wrong. I thought you would have learned that by now, Jacob."

"You should have taken him alive. See what he knew." Shepard still did not lower his pistol. He was starting to understand the cold fire in Miranda's eyes, amid that beautiful face.

"Too risky," was her reply. "I've put too much time and money into this project –– into you –– to let you get killed now."

"You really think Wilson is capable of that?" Jacob asked, gesturing to the body slowly soaking in its own blood.

Miranda looked down at it and then back up at Jacob. "Not anymore."

There was a heavy silence and then Shepard lowered his pistol, taking a step back in the process. Jacob was a biotic, so he would be most dangerous at range. Miranda had the look of a tech, also dangerous, but not well armored. And there was no cover for either of them. Shepard needed distance if he were to get the advantage in a fight with them.

"I had a feeling Wilson was waiting to shoot me in the back," he said, careful to keep his words friendly. He still had no armor past his biotic barriers, and while not inconsiderable, they just didn't make him feel safe enough to antagonize armed Cerberus operatives.

"Good instincts," Miranda said, also eyeing him with a practice and overtly friendly gaze. "Some people are too trusting to see that coming. Come on. Let's grab this shuttle and get out of here. My boss wants to speak with you."

"You mean the Illusive Man?" Shepard asked. "I know you work for Cerberus."

Miranda smiled. "Ah, Jacob. I should have known your conscience would get the better of you."

"Lying to the Commander isn't the way to get him to join our cause," Jacob said, his tone equal parts frustration and anger.

"Hold on," Shepard said. "I'm not sure I trust you. Either of you. I have seen what Cerberus has done."

"This is the only shuttle off the station," Miranda said. "You want to stay here and rot with the mechs? Be my guest."

"I don't think you really mean that."

"What?" Miranda snapped.

Shepard folded his arms. "I know you spent over four billion credits to bring me back. Two years of your life. A project designed solely to revive me. You are not getting rid of that so causally."

"We could shoot you and bring your body to a new station. Start again."

Shepard's grin unnerved Miranda –– a difficult thing to do.

"No." Shepard's biotic aura flared, a purple-blue mist rushing around his skin. Miranda blinked against the light. "You don't have the time for that, do you?"

"Miranda," Jacob said. "He's one powerful biotic. I haven't seen an adept like him in years. If he doesn't want to come, he'll kill us before we have a chance to retaliate.

"However, Commander," Jacob placated, turning to Shepard. "We are all on the same side here. We want you. We brought you back. That has to mean something."

Miranda sighed. "Look, we don't have the time for all this. We can discuss the finer points once we get out of here. Until then, let's keep the chitchat to a minimum.

Shepard nodded. "I've had enough of this station to last a life time."

"Or two, in your case," Miranda said. "Come on."

With that she turned and headed into the shuttle bay, Jacob falling in behind Commander Shepard.

Shepard jerked from his thoughts about the deep space outside the shuttle's view ports as Miranda came through the shuttle's door from the pilot's cabin.

"Before you meet with the Illusive Man, we need to ask a few questions to evaluate your condition." Miranda sat down on the jump couch and activated her omni-tool.

"What?" Jacob asked, tearing his gaze away from the Commander. "WE have to do this now?"

"We should have done weeks of testing to confirm the success of Project Lazarus. A few questions during the shuttle ride will have to suffice."

"Okay," Jacob said, activating his own omni-tool. "Let's get this over with. Records show that you were Earth-born, orphan of the under-city. Joined the Alliance as soon as you were eligible for recruitment."

"Actually," Shepard said, " three years before I was legal to join. I was tall for my age. And an eighteen-year-old kid with scars all over tends not to incite questions. I was a biotic and I was tough. That was the screening I got."

Jacob nodded. "You were part of the assault team on Torfan. What do you remember about that?"

Shepard's eyes hardened. "I lost some men."

"Some men were three-fourths of your squad," Miranda said gently but firmly.

The look Shepard gave her would have stalled a charging Krogan.

"I know. I sent them to their deaths. You don't think I know that?"

"We aren't here to question your past judgments, Commander," Jacob said, quickly moving on. "Satisfied, Miranda?"

"Almost. Let's try something more recent. Virmire, when you destroyed Saren's cloning facility. You had to leave one of your squad behind to die in the blast."

"Gunnery Chief––" Jacob started but stopped as the Commander spoke.

"Ash."

"So informal," Miranda commented.

Shepard turned, laying down on the jump couch. "We're done."

"Commander, there are other tests we really should…"

"We are done, Miss Lawson," Shepard said, and for once Miranda heard her name cast in cold iron bars and dropped into her stomach. His voice held such hatred, such bile. He almost made her ashamed to be named Miranda Lawson.

As Shepard dozed in his corner of the Kodiak shuttle, Miranda and Jacob turned to each other for a quiet conversation.

"His memories are there, Miranda. And I can vouch for his combat prowess personally," Jacob said, keeping a wary eye on Shepard.

"The Illusive Man will have to be set with our little field test then," Miranda said.

They were silent for a time, the thrum of the engines the only noise.

Suddenly, Jacob spoke. "What was that all about?"

"What?"

"You probing after Gunnery Chief Williams. So what if he called her Ash. His boat, his rules, his command of formality."

"Ashley Williams died on Virmire after spending nearly three months on a ship with him," Miranda said, leaning back and settling in for the ride. "I think it was a bit more than a lax in formality."

"Then definitely don't poke the thresher maw in the eye with a stick, Miranda. Shepard does not need a reason to send us headfirst into a firefight."

They lapsed back into silence, watching the stars outside the view port as the shuttle whisked them away to the Illusive Man.

Shepard gingerly eased into the clothes the Cerberus technician handed him as he stepped from the shuttle. The clothing was lose and comfortable, but professional. Shepard liked it.

"The Illusive Man is waiting for you in the next room," Miranda said, gesturing across the entrance hall. "Through those doors. We'll get your armor loaded on the shuttle. We have places to be."

Shepard strode across the room, noting the security office behind a quarter foot of hardened glass. The balcony view looked out over an expanse of space he didn't know.

Shepard turned down the corridor and opened the door at the base of the stairs.

The room was empty save a blank wall and a circular pad on the floor.

Shepard walked into the room, stopping on the pad. Suddenly, a ring around the pad flashed and an orange grid slowly rose up to the ceiling. The view in front of Shepard changed. Now he was staring out into a near infinite room with a massive sun seemingly just outside the view port. It was a strange sun, with a fiery center but a cold blue halo.

In front of the sun sat a man, a mere black silhouette.

"Commander Mikhail Shepard," the man said.

"Illusive Man," Shepard replied, certain that this must be the head of Cerberus. "I thought we were to be meeting face-to-face."

"I necessary precaution," Illusive Man said, blowing out a puff of smoke from his cigarette. "Not unusual for people who know what you and I know."

"You might be the reason I'm still alive," Shepard said. "But that doesn't mean I trust you."

"You need to put your personal feelings aside," Illusive Man said. "Humanity is up against the greatest threat of our brief existence."

"The Reapers."

"Good to see your memory is still intact. How are you feeling?"

"You need to earn the right to ask me those kinds of questions."

"Cerberus isn't as evil as you may believe. You and I are on the same sides. We just have different methods."

"Cut to the chase. What are the Reapers doing that made you decide bringing me back was a good idea?" Shepard asked, starting to lose patience. This man… he annoyed Shepard for no definable reason.

The Illusive Man stood up. "We're at war. No one wants to admit it, but humanity is under attack. While you've been asleep, entire colonies have been disappearing. Human colonies. We believe it's someone working for the Reapers. Just as Saren and the Geth aided Sovereign. You've seen it yourself. You bested all of them. That's just one reason we chose you."

"Fighting a war doesn't seem like Cerberus," Shepard said. "Why are you involved?"

"We are committed to the advancement and preservation of Humanity," Illusive Man said, as if it were obvious. "If the Reapers are targeting us, trying to wipe us out, Cerberus will stop them. If we wait for politicians or the Alliance to act… no more Human colonies will be left."

"Sovereign was trying to harvest all life in the galaxy. Why would the Reapers attack a few Human colonies?"

"Hundreds of thousands of colonists have vanished. I'd say that fits the definition of 'harvesting.' No one is paying any attention because the attacks are random and occur in remote locations. I don't know why they suddenly targeted Humanity. Maybe you got their attention when you killed one of them."

Shepard snorted. "Then you could have used the money. You could have trained a small army for the cost you spent to bring me back."

"You're unique, Shepard," the Illusive Man said, a tone of admiration in his deep, gravely voice. "Not just in ability or what you've experienced, but what you represent. You stood for Humanity at a key moment. Your more than a man –– you're a symbol. And I don't know if the Reapers understand fear, but you killed one. They have to respect that."

"If this is a threat to Humanity, you need to contact the Alliance," Shepard said.

"The Alliance is too busy running the Council to verify the Reaper threat. Blaming the abductions on mercs and pirates is easier. And more convenient."

Shepard was silent for a time. Then, "If the Reapers are behind this… I'd consider helping you."

The Illusive Man grinned. "I'd be disappointed if you accepted all of this without seeing for yourself. I have a shuttle ready to take you to Freedom's Progress… the latest colony to be abducted. Miranda and Jacob will accompany you."

"What will I find there?"

"If I knew that," Illusive Man said, grinning again. "I wouldn't have to send you. Find out who is abducting the colonists and if they are working for the Reapers. Good luck."

And with that the connection cut and Shepard was standing in the room again as the orange column grid drifted to the floor.


End file.
